Engoo is an ESL online teaching platform that is becoming well-known in the Philippines to hire Filipino English teachers. After taking a break from my full-time job last year, my best friend recommended this to me to apply to as a part-time job. In which I feel so thankful because working in Engoo has helped me tremendously financially (at least I still have an income) and at the same time, enjoy teaching.
Application
The application process was very straightforward. Steps are clearly stated on their website. The first step is to register, then the connection or internet and English test followed. They will send all training materials, schedule you for a training session, and then demo lessons.
The training didn’t last for one week unlike in other ESL companies. They expect that you have knowledge of how to teach and that you are confident in doing it. Although you don’t have any formal experience yet, it is without saying that you will not pass it. Again, it is about confidence and a smile.
Yep, I remember that as my feedback after my demo lesson was to smile more often. Probably I was so tensed and nervous during my demo lessons.
After passing the demo lessons, then you can start opening your lessons. Other documents such as Valid IDs and tax documents may be sent via email.
PROS
What I like most about teaching in Engoo are the students. The majority of the students I have taught are Japanese, some are Koreans, and a few are Thai and Taiwanese. In addition, I would say that about 80- 85% of my students are adults which has many advantages for me.
That is one reason why I find it a less stressful, more fun job. Because the English level of students is generally intermediate and up, there is no need for me to be so energetic and effortful in terms of props and the way I teach the lesson.
In comparison to teaching little kids or beginners, adults are easier for me to deal with. I have already confirmed that with my experiences teaching in Thailand. Also, because of the high English communication skills of some students, most of the time, I learn something new too- new vocabulary and idioms. Obviously, I am not a native English speaker. It’s a win-win situation for me and my student.
In all honestly, working with Engoo while having lessons is just like talking to a friend. There is a time for introduction at the beginning of the lesson, to get to know the student. That is when interesting stories come in from people of different walks of life. It is my favorite part.
Lessons
Materials vary depending on the student’s choice from Grammar, Vocabulary, Free talk, and more which makes it more interesting. Daily News is my favorite as it also keeps me up to date on the happenings in the world.
It is not so exciting, however, if students choose the same news or topic on the same day. That happened to me when my students, five of them, chose the same topic as their material during their classes. I had to read the same vocabulary words and article for 2.5 hours in total.
The materials are very easy to follow and comprehend. Support is always available when you need it. Luckily, it never happened to me yet when I had to speak to support for some issues. There is no need to download a separate application, all you need is a browser to open the lesson. And that’s it.
The company is not very strict in their requirement in terms of the internet speed. It is only reasonable, however, that it shouldn’t be very slow as a snail that would interfere with the flow of the lesson. If that happens, the students will most likely be unhappy with your lesson. Therefore, giving you a low rate or review which could affect your future bookings.
Flexibility
An advantage of teaching online is that you can decide whenever you want to work or take your days off. You control your time which makes you the boss. This setup is perfect for those who stay at home, who already have kids, or anyone looking for a part-time job or additional source of income. It gives you more control of your time in a day.
Good thing, in Engoo opening of slots, is open 24 hours.
Salary
The rate per class is 60 PHP. Each class lasts for 25 minutes. The more slots opened, the more students booking which means more earnings as well. They also give incentives or rewards if you work really hard.
In my experience, the best time to open slots is in the afternoon from 5 pm until 12 midnight (Philippine Local Time) because that is when the students’ numbers are very high. The weekend is also a sure deal, teachers get plenty of student booking, sometimes, only in a couple of minutes and all slots will be fully booked.
Normally, new teachers would start with only a few bookings. Don’t worry about it if you are a new teacher. Over time, you would get more regular students especially if the student likes you.
My salary is sent to my GCASH account which is very convenient. After receiving the money, I could then pay my bills or transfer the remaining (if there are any) into my bank account (which rarely happened).
Highly Recommended
Overall, my experience with Engoo as an ESL English teacher is nothing but wonderful. The students are very nice, polite, and friendly. As I said, it is like talking to a friend or gaining new friends. I learn about different cultures particularly about Japanese culture because most of my students are from there.
I became familiar with the cities and different places in Japan which made me want to visit it someday. Japan has always been on my to-travel list anyway. However, talking to Japanese people, getting to know them in general intensified my dream of traveling to Japan.
If you are interested, try and apply in ENGOO. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to leave a comment or send me a private message.
May I know how to process the tax documents? How long will it take? And I’m a student, will it be possible to process my tax documents? Thank you for the answer.
Hello, thank you for sharing your experience with Engoo! I have tried to join them once but got rejected for whatever reason. I am going to give it another chance and see how it goes!
I wish you good luck, Layla.